Uriel Bachrach was born in Germany in 1926 and immigrated to Palestine in 1933. In 1945 he began studying chemistry at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. At the end of 1947, future Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion realized that once British forces left Palestine in May 1948, seven Arab countries would attack the newly formed Jewish state that at that time was home to only 600,000 people—including women, children, and the elderly, many of them Holocaust survivors.

The State had only 10,000 rifles and 3,800 pistols, no anti-tank weapons, and no artillery. Since weapons could not be purchased from other countries due to an embargo, Ben-Gurion decided to produce weapons locally. On February 2, 1948, Bachrach was summoned to a secret meeting where he and twenty chemistry and physics students were literally told to save the nation. For three weeks they studied the secrets of explosives, incendiaries, gas, and smoke. Gradually more young scientists joined the group and on March 17, 1948, an IDF Science Corps named HEMED was formed.

In 1949, Bachrach returned to The Hebrew University and became the chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology. He has been a visiting professor at various American and European universities and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bologna in Italy. The Hebrew version of this book was published in 2009 and the author received a special prize for the State of Israel from President Shimon Peres.

Uriel Bachrach continues to lecture in various forums about this unique chapter in Israel’s history.

Description du produit

Présentation de l'éditeur

Uriel Bachrach was born in Germany in 1926 and immigrated to Palestine in 1933. In 1945 he began studying chemistry at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. At the end of 1947, future Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion realized that once British forces left Palestine in May 1948, seven Arab countries would attack the newly formed Jewish state that at that time was home to only 600,000 people—including women, children, and the elderly, many of them Holocaust survivors.

The State had only 10,000 rifles and 3,800 pistols, no anti-tank weapons, and no artillery. Since weapons could not be purchased from other countries due to an embargo, Ben-Gurion decided to produce weapons locally. On February 2, 1948, Bachrach was summoned to a secret meeting where he and twenty chemistry and physics students were literally told to save the nation. For three weeks they studied the secrets of explosives, incendiaries, gas, and smoke. Gradually more young scientists joined the group and on March 17, 1948, an IDF Science Corps named HEMED was formed.

In 1949, Bachrach returned to The Hebrew University and became the chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology. He has been a visiting professor at various American and European universities and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bologna in Italy. The Hebrew version of this book was published in 2009 and the author received a special prize for the State of Israel from President Shimon Peres.

Uriel Bachrach continues to lecture in various forums about this unique chapter in Israel’s history.

Biographie de l'auteur

Uriel Bachrach was born in Germany in 1926 and immigrated to Palestine in 1933. In 1945 he began studying chemistry at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. At the end of 1947, future Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion realized that once British forces left Palestine in May 1948, seven Arab countries would attack the newly formed Jewish state that at that time was home to only 500,000 people—including women, children, and the elderly, many of them Holocaust survivors. The State had only 10,000 rifles and 3,800 pistols, no anti-tank weapons, and no artillery. Since weapons could not be purchased from other countries due to an embargo, Ben-Gurion decided to produce weapons locally. On February 2, 1948, Bachrach was summoned to a secret meeting where he and twenty chemistry and physics students were literally told to save the nation. For three weeks they studied the secrets of explosives, incendiaries, gas, and smoke. Gradually more young scientists joined the group and on March 17, 1948, an IDF Science Corps named HEMED was formed. The author headed a research group and was also active in the operation units. He was a member of a secret task force which crossed the Egyptian lines on March 1949 and found uranium in phosphate deposits. This was the start of Israeli nuclear research. In 1952, HEMED was transferred from the Army to the Ministry of Defense and Rafael, The Biological Research Institute and The Atomic Energy Commission were established. These new units have significantly contributed to the economic and scientific developments of Israel. In 1949, Bachrach returned to The Hebrew University and became the chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology. He has been a visiting professor at various American and European universities and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bologna in Italy. The Hebrew version of this book was published in 2009 and the author received a special prize for the State of Israel from President Shimon Peres. Uriel Bachrach continues to lecture in various forums about this unique chapter in Israel’s history.

I read it cover-to-cover and learned an incredible amount. It is a fascinating fount of information written by an eyewitness who was also a key participant. The documents and pictures are truly rare. I am convinced that, in total, the book comprises an extremely significant documentation of a crucial aspect during the historic, critical times of the founding of the State of Israel. Therefore, I have no doubt that this work will be consulted for many decades to come by any researcher who wants to understand how the Israeli arms and scientific industry came to be. Further, one cannot read it without becoming full of admiration and appreciation for those young scientists who, under the pressure of attack from five Arab armies, accomplished heroic work.

I read a lot of Zionist and early Israel literature. Few books have held my attention and interest as Dr. Uriel Bachrach's riveting account Hemed - The Israeli Science Corps. This was an aspect of Israel's early history that neither I, nor any others among my informed friends, knew anything about. Lovers of Israel have Dr. Bachrach and his colleagues to thank for their contribution to Israel's establishment; we also have Bachrach to thank for bringing this amazing story to light.

I plan to buy several copies and give them to my friends and colleagues.

5,0 sur 5 étoilesFascinating book about the young Israeli scientists, who helped Israel to win the Independence War in 1948.

30 juin 2016 - Publié sur Amazon.com

Very interesting and fascinating book. If you want to learn about the "Israeli - Jewish mind": the most brilliant young scientists,who helped the young Israeli army to win the Independence War in 1948' this is the book for you.Almost all the inside stories about the roots of the IDF special might.Very recommended book.